Two-speed reversible controller



y 1953 H. J. FRAMHEIN 2,639,313?

TWO-SPEED REVERSIBLE CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 3, 1951 a/ a/ 3/ i 34 3/ /6 a2 /6 /6 32 M 44 20 44 /0 l0 20 22 2? q :6 2/ 4/ 38 46 4/ 38 45 4o 40 37 40 3 INVENTOR.

. H. J. FRHMHE/N HTTORNEY 3 form of a rectangular block of metal or other suitable material shaped to receive other parts of the controller, as will be described,

The primary circuit making and breaking function of the controller is served by a pair of precision type snap switches II, I2, that have outer terminals I3, and in which the contacts are adapted to be operated by short movements of depressible buttons I4 and I5. These switches II and I2 are mounted upon opposite edges of the casing It by screws It in such a way that the buttons I 4, I5, are accessible to operating mechanism in the casing Iii through short transverse bores I1, I8, in the casing.

In order to provide independent manual operation of the switches II, I2, the casing Ill contains a pair of plungers I9, 20 slidable in parallel longitudinal bores 2 I, 22, the upper ends of these plungers extending above the casing I and having push-buttons 23, 24 secured thereon.

Middle sections of the plungers I9, are reduced to provide annular recesses 25, 26, into which balls 21, 28 in the transverse bores I1, I8, are adapted to project when said recesses are located opposite said bores. The upper ends of the annular recesses, 25, 26, are formed as inclined cam surfaces 29, 30, so that when either of the plungers I9, 20 is depressed, the corresponding ball 21 or 28 will be displaced from the recess 25 or 26 and will operate the corresponding switch button M or IE. It will be noted at this point that the plungers I9, 22, cannot displace the balls 21, 28, farther than the outer peripheries of the plungers, so that no excessive movement or destructive pressures can be applied to the switch buttons, M, I5. This arrangement also permits the operator to sense the operation of the primary switches because of the force required to cam the balls 21, 28, out of the paths of the plungers. Once the recesses 25, 26 have passed the balls 21, 23, the latter will offer negligible resistance to further movement of the plungers. Any adjustment which may be found desirable in the operating points of the switches II, l2, may be accomplished by varying the thickness of suitable shims 3! applied between said switches and the edges of the casing II).

It will be understood that the plungers I9, 20 will be normally urged to inactive outer or off positions in which the plunger recesses 25, 26 will be opposite the balls 21, 28, so that no pressure will be exerted at that time upon the switch buttons It, I5. In order to hold the plungers I9, 20 in these outer positions, provision is made of coil springs 33, located in counterbores at the upper ends of the bores 2 I, 22. The coil springs 32, 33 are seated upon washers at the lower ends of the counterbores and press at their upper ends against cross-pins 34, 35 in the plungers I9, 20. The cross-pins 34, 35, also serve to limit outward movement of the plungers by reason of their abutment with an apertured cover plate 36 secured to the upper end of the casing III. The cover plate 36 preferably projects laterally of the casing Ill, thus providing a flange which may serve for mounting the controller upon a suitable support.

The sequential switching function of the controller is served by a secondary switch 31 of the same precision type as the switches I l and I2, and having a depressible switch button 33 and outer terminal screws 39. The secondary switch 31 is mounted against the lower end of the controller casing I t by screws 4!] in such a position that the switch button 38 is located in a short bore 4| in longitudinally extending equidistant relationship between the bores 2|, 22.

Operation of the secondary switch 31 is obtained through a pair of slidable inclined pins 22, 43, which project upwardly into the paths of the plungers I9, 29 in such a way that either plunger will engage the upper end of one of the pins when the plunger has been pressed downwardly past the point at which the corresponding primary switch is operated, this position of the plunger It being illustrated in Fig. 4. Specifically, the plungers I3 and 2!] are formed with additional recesses below the annular recesses 25, 26, to receive the projecting upper ends of the pins t2, 43, the upper end surfaces of these lower recesses forming cams 34 on the plungers for operating the pins. The lower ends of the pins 42, 53, extend into the upper end of the bore II, and engage the rounded upper portion of a secondary plunger element 45 which is slidable downwardly in the bore II for operating the secondary switch button 38. Inasmuch as the pins 42, 43, are movable independently of each other, it will be seen that movement of either of the plungers l9 and 2t downwardly beyond the point at which the switch I I or I2 is operated will result in operation of the secondary switch 31 sequentially with the operated primary switch.

It should be noted at this point, however, that the inclined positions of the pins 42, 43, will result in an increase in the force which must be exerted upon the plungers in order to operate the secondary switch 31. The force necessary to operate the secondary switch will also be increased to some extent by the friction resulting from a slight lateral movement of the pins 42, 43, upon the cam surfaces 44, and also upon the upper end of the secondary plunger 45. In other words, when the operator has pressed either of the pushbuttons 23, 24, inwardly just past the point at which the corresponding primary switch is operated, an increased resistance will be encountered which will inform the operator that the secondary switch 31 will be operated upon further movement of the same push-button. This increased resistance is of greater magnitude than that attending the camming of the balls 21, 28, and will tend to prevent accidental operation of the secondary switch 31, such as would occur if the depressed plunger were moved inwardly further than intended by the operator. This particular construction will not, however, require the operator to apply a strong force merely to hold the switch 31 in operated position. The point at which the secondary switch 31 is operated may be adjusted by varying the thickness of a shim 46 which is interposed between the switch 31 and the lower end of the casing II), this adjustment serving, of course, to vary the position of the switch button 38 in the bore 4|.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 5 that the plungers I9, 22, will engage the shim 46 immediately after they have operated the secondary switch 31 or, in other words, at the end of their downward movement. Thus, it will be seen that the plungers can impart no excessive movement to the secondary plunger 45 and no damage to the switch can occur because of excessive pressures upon the switch button.

When the controller is used in conjunction with the circuit disclosed in the Schroeder patent hereinbefore referred to, all of the switches, I I, I2, and 31 will be of the type in which the con tacts are closed when the switch buttons are pressed inwardly and opened when the buttons are released. It will be understood, however, that the contacts within the switches may have any suitable arrangement in order to fulfill their desired purpose, and the controller is adapted to provide selective control of substantially any two circuits, with or without sequential or common operation of a third circuit. The controller is also well adapted to provide preliminary operation of any single circuit with respect to a sec and circuit, as for example by sequential operation of the switches H and '37.

Without regard to the specific use to which the improved controller is put, the operator will be afforded a means for readily sensing the candl tion of the switches at all times, and it is believed that the operation of the controller will be clearly apparent from the foregoing description.

I now claim:

1. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of operating members, means whereby movement of each of said operating members operates one of said pair of switches independently of the other, means for resisting said movement of said operating members, a common secondary switch, means whereby the continued movement of each of said operating members after operation of one of said pair of switches operates said common secondary switch sequentially, and additional means for resisting movement of said operating members during said continued movement whereby the operator may sense the condition of the controller th ough said operating members.

2. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of operating members movable in predetermined paths, means projecting into each of said paths and displaced from said paths by movement of each of said operating members for operating one of said pair of switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, and means projecting into said predetermined paths of said operating members and engaged directly by one of said operating members upon continued movement thereof after operation of one of said pair of switches whereby to operate said common secondary switch sequentially.

3. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of manually operable plungers, means projecting into the paths of said plungers and displaced from said paths by movement of each of said plungers for operating one of said pair of switches independently of the other, means for resisting said movement of said. plungers, a common secondary switch, means projecting into the paths of both of said plungers and engaged by one of said plungers upon continued movement thereof after operation of one of said pair of switches whereby to operate said common secondary switch sequentially, and additional means resisting movement of said secondary switch by said plungers during said continued movement whereby the operator may sense the condition of the controller through said plungers.

4. In a controller of the class described, a switch, an operating member movable in a predetermined path, an element displaced from said path by movement of said member for operating said switch, means for resisting said movement of said member, a secondary switch, means projecting directly into said predetermined path whereby said secondary switch is operated by further movement of said member sequentially after said first-mentioned switch, additional means resisting movement of said secondary switch by said operating member during said further movement whereby the operator may sense the condition of the controller through said operating member, and means for stopping movement of said operating member after said secondary switch is operated.

5. In a controller of the class described, a switch, a plunger, means whereby movement of said plunger operates said switch, means for resisting said movement of said plunger, a secondary switch, and means for operating said secondary switch sequentially after operation of saidfirst switch including a pin projecting at an angle into the path of said plunger and engaged by said plunger upon continued movement thereof after operation of said first switch, the angular relationship of said pin to said path contributing added resistance to said continued movement of said plunger in operating said secondary switch.

6. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of plungers, recesses in the sides of said plungers, means projecting into said recesses and-displaced therefrom by movement of each of said plungers for operating one of said pair of switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, and means projecting directly into the paths of said plungers and engaged by said plungers upon continued movement thereof after said first switch operating means has been displaced from one of said recesses whereby to operate said common secondary switch.

7 In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of parallel plungers, means whereby movement of each of said plungers operates one of said pair of switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, a secondary plunger element symmetrically located with respect to said plungers for operating said secondary switch, and a pair of members projecting into the paths of said parallel plungers and engaged by one of said parallel plungers upon continued movement thereof after operation of one of said pair of switches for operating said plunger element whereby to operate said secondary switch.

8. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches a pair of plungers, cam surfaces on said plungers, means projecting against said cam surfaces and displayed by movement of said plungers for operating one of said pair of switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, a secondary plunger element for operating said secondary switch, and a member projecting into the path of each of said plungers and engaged by one of said plungers upon continued movement thereof after operation of one of said pair of switches for operating said plunger element whereby to operate said common secondary switch.

9. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of plungers, cam surfaces on said plungers, balls displaced by said cam surfaces through a first movement or" said plungers for actuating one of said switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, and means directly in the path of both of said plungers and engaged upon further movement of the moved plunger after actuation of the actuated switch for actuating said common secondary switch.

10. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of operating members, cam surfaces on said operating members, balls displaced by said cam surfaces through a first movement of said operating members for actuating one of said switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, a secondary plunger element for operating said secondary switch, and a pair of pins projecting into the paths of said operating members and engaged upon further movement of the moved operating member for operating said secondary plunger element whereby to actuate said common secondary switch.

11. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of plungers, recesses in the sides of said plungers, balls displaced from said recesses through a first movement of said plungers for actuating one of said switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, and means directly in the path of both of said plungers and engaged upon further movement of the moved plungers after actuation of the actuated switch for actuating said common secondary switch.

12. In a controller of the class described, a pair of switches, a pair of parallel plungers, recesses in the sides of said plungers, balls displaced from said recesses through a first movement of said plungers for actuating one of said switches independently of the other, a common secondary switch, a secondary plunger element intermediate said plungers for operating said secondary switch, and a part of each of said parallel plungers operating said secondary plunger element upon further movement of the moved plunger whereby to actuate said common secondary switch.

13. In a controller of the class described, a casing, a pair of switches mounted on opposite sides of said casing and each having a depressible operating element, a pair of lungers mounted in bores in said casing, recesses in said plungers opposite said depressible elements, balls projecting into said recesses and displaced therefrom by movement of each of said plungers for depressing one of said depressible elements independently of the other, a common secondary switch mounted on said casing and having a depressible operating element, and a secondary plunger symmetrically located with respect to the paths of said pair of plungers and actuated by either one of said pair of plungers whereby to operate said secondary switch sequentially after operation of one of said pair of switches.

14. In a controller of the class described, a casing, a pair of switches mounted on opposite sides of said casing and each having a depressible operating element, a pair of plungers mounted in parallel bores in said casing between said switches, recesses in said plungers opposite said depressible elements, balls projecting into said recesses and displaced therefrom by movement of each of said plungers for depressing one of said depressible elements independently of the other, the peripheries of said plungers denoting the limit of the operating movement that can be imparted thereby to the depressible elements of said switches, a common secondary switch mounted on said casing and having a depressible operating element, and a secondary plunger symmetrically located with respect to the paths of said pair of plungers and actuated by either one of said pair of plungers to operate said secondary switch sequentially after operation of one of said pair of switches.

HERBERT J. FRAMHEIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,926,419 Apple Sept. 12, 1933 2,192,621 Radtke Mar. 5, 1940 2,217,901 Groch Oct. 15, 1940 

